Basic U.S. history should be common knowledge, but it is not. Many educators and parents are concerned that our students are historically illiterate. They are taught history in school, but it doesn’t seem to stick. Kids deem it boring or of little use.

My vision for the Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor book series is to fill this need in a way that will delight children, teachers, and parents alike. The first book, Miss Trimble’sTrapdoor, introduces Tyler, a struggling student who accidentally discovers a trapdoor beneath his desk that leads to a magical world in which he can visit any time in history. Readers will join Tyler as he takes several brief visits back in time and learns the value of understanding history.

Each subsequent book in the series focuses on a single U.S. history concept in much greater detail while also teaching a moral lesson. In the second book, Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Perseverance of Christopher Columbus, readers follow Tyler as he works hard to make the school basketball team, all the while learning the history behind the great explorer and his voyages. Coming soon will be the next three titles: Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Courage of the Pilgrims, Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Independence of the Founding Fathers,and Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Adventurous Spirit of Lewis and Clark. More books in the series are also planned to follow along the chronological path of major events in American history.

As Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough puts it, “Amnesia is as detrimental to society as to an individual.” My goal is to lead children to an understanding of their national heritage in a way that will engage their enthusiasm. Join Tyler, his classmates, and his teacher as we remember our history!